Former Lok Sabha Speaker and veteran Communist leader Somnath Chatterjee passes away at the age of 89

Kolkata: One of the longest-serving Parliamentarians and former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee breathed his last at the age of 89 in a private nursing home in Kolkata today.

The veteran politician, who came from a family of jurists and lawyers, was a UK-trained barrister and also a renowned legal practitioner at Calcutta High Court.

Somnath Chatterjee is survived by his wife Renu Chatterjee, sonPratap and two daughters - Anuradha and Anushila. Pratap Chatterjee is also a lawyer by profession.

The octogenarian breathed his last in Belle Vue Hospital in Kolkata after prolonged illness. He suffered a cardiac arrest and breathed his last at 8.15 am. He was suffering from kidney ailments as well.

Somanth Chatterjee born on July 25, 1929, in Assam’s Tezpur, to Nirmal Chandra Chatterjee and Binapani Debi.

Somnath Chatterjee’s father Nirmal Chandra Chatterjee was an eminent lawyer and a believer of Hindu nationalist ideology, who worked closely with Bharatiya Janata Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. Nirmal Chandra maintained good relationship with leaders from all political parties. So was Somnath Chatterjee, who had amicable relationships with leaders of all political parties and considered everyone equal.

Though born in Assam, Chatterjee completed his college in Presidency College, then under Calcutta University. He went to Jesus College, Cambridge, from where he graduated with a BA degree in 1952. He studied law in England and started practicing law in Calcutta High Court, before joining politics.

One of the longest serving parliamentarians, he had served as the Speaker from 2004 to 2009. Chatterjee was the second person to be appointed as the pro tem speaker, who was subsequently elected as the Speaker of the 14th Lok Sabha.

Chatterjee first contested the Lok Sabha seat in 1971 and elected for the first time as an independent candidate, backed by CPI (M), after the seat fell vacant following the death of his father. Somnath Chatterjee was a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) from 1968 to 2008.

Between 1971 to 2009, he was elected as a Parliamentarian ten times. From 1989 to 2004, he was the leader of his party in the Lok Sabha.

Interestingly, the ten-time Parliamentarian, who was the 13th Lok Sabha Speaker, was defeated by firebrand Mamata Banerjee from the Jadavpur Lok Sabha constituency in 1984, which marked her entry to the mainstream politics. “When he was defeated in 1984, we were more shocked than him. He could take it in his stride,” Somnath Chatterjee’s daughter Anushila said.

It was his 37 years of association with CPI (M) which came to an end in 2008, as the party expelled him during its tiff with Congress-led UPA government over Indo-USA Nuclear deal.

A die-hard follower of former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, Somnath Chatterjee was a father figure to the people of Bolpur in Shantiniketan and instrumental in development of the area. Bolpur was his constituency till 2009. He was like a father figure and guardian angel to people across the political party lines.

Mamata Banerjee paid her last respects

Expulsion from CPI (M)

Ahead of his 79th birthday, the CPI (M) had expelled Somnath Chatterjee from the party for going against the party dictat.

With his towering personality and immense grit, Chatterjee had simply refused to step down from the post of the Lok Sabha Speaker and voiced his disgruntlement over CPI (M)’s decision to vote against the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) on Nuclear deal issue, along with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

While the Left parties withdrew support to the United Progressive Alliance government on July 9, 2008, CPI (M) leadership continued to pursue Somnath Chatterjee to step down from the post of the Lok Sabha Speaker.

Much to the party’s embarrassment, Chatterjee, in a candid letter written to CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat at that time, had told the party that he would neither quit from the post of the Lok Sabha Speaker nor would he vote with the BJP during the UPA's trust vote.

It was only late West Bengal Sport and Transport Minister Subhas Chakraborty who had criticised the party’s stand on Somnath Chatterjee’s expulsion and was thus publicly censured by the Polit Bureau.

Chatterjee’s constituency was in Birbhum district’s Bolpur, which is now a reserved seat.

Though an expelled leader, every CPI (M) leaders’ favourite ‘Somanthda’ was never considered an outsider to the party’s Bengal lobby. CPI (M) State Committee meeting was postponed today after paying respect to the former Left Parliamentarian.

Biman Bose, Left Front Chairman, said, “He was a towering character and unmatchable Parliamentarian. We had close contact with him from the party and his demise is loss to the party and country as a whole.”

“Chatterjee had received ‘Outstanding Parliamentarian Award’ in 1996. His death is an irreparable loss to Indian politics,” Mamata added.

The CM also announced that the veteran leader will be cremated with full state honours with a gun salute in the West Bengal Assembly.

CPI (M) parliamentarian Mohd Salim said, “He was my guardian. I used to call him ‘dada’, but he was my second father. He taught me and guided me in every way. He used to tell me to save the party from crisis.”

Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court said, “He portrayed Bengal in a different light in front of the country.”

“I have seen him as a barrister as well as politician. He did not allow his political ideology to come in way of his legal career. He always offered equal treatment to all,” Shukhendu Shekhar Ray, Rajya Sabha MP of Trinamool Congress.

Last rituals

Somnath Chatterjee’s body was taken to Calcutta High Court, where he practiced for prolonged period. Then, his body was taken to the State Assembly, where body was be kept for one hour for MLAs to pay their last respects. He was paid the last respect by the state government with a gun salute at around 2.15 pm. His wife Renu Chatterjee was also present during the gun salute. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee supervised the whole matter.

His body was then taken to his house at Raja Basant Roy Road, where body will be kept till 6 pm. Somnath Chatterjee had worked in his chamber in this house till a month back.

At 6 pm, his body will be taken to Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial Hospital for donation, as he had pledged his body.